1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inverter circuit which is, for example, used as an output stage of a word driver in metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) memory devices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, in MOS (broadly, metal-insulated semiconductor (MIS)) memory devices, the potential of a power supply has been gradually decreased. Therefore, if a signal having a particularly high potential is required, such a high potential signal is generated by using a charge-pumping circuit or the like. For example, such a high-potential signal is supplied as a clock signal to an inverter circuit which serves as an output stage of a word driver in MOS memory devices.
One prior art inverter circuit comprises two MOS transistors: a load transistor on the side of a high-potential power supply and a driving transistor on the side of a low-potential power supply. In this case, the two transistors are connected in series between the high-and low-potential power supplies. Two clock signals, which are approximately opposite in phase are supplied to the gates of the two transistors, respectively, while the connection node between the two transistors serves as an output terminal of the inverter circuit.
In the above-mentioned prior art inverter circuit, however, when the load transistor and the driving transistor are in an off state and an on state, respectively, the potential at the connection node is low. Therefore, a high potential is applied directly to the load transistor, which, in turn, operates in a deep saturation region. As a result, a large amount of hot electrons and hot holes having high energy are generated and captured by a gate oxide layer so that the electrical characteristics, such as the threshold voltage (V.sub.th) value, of the load transistor fluctuate. In addition, since the load transistor operates in a state near to a punch-through state during the conduction mode in the deep saturation region, the load transistor may break down.
Similarly, when the load transistor and the driving transistor are in an on state and an off state, respectively, the potential at the connection node is high. Therefore, a high potential is also applied directly to the driving transistor, which, in turn, operates in a deep saturation region. Therefore, the above-mentioned phenomenon also occurs in the driving transistor.